The Firelight Fountain
by DaffodilChains
Summary: What happens after their short date at the Firelight Fountain? Is Jin angry at Zuko for leaving her there or is she just confused?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**A/N:**

** Yay! My first fanfic that isn't about FT! I am very annoyed at the anime because only one episode comes out every SATURDAY! I can't wait that long for awesomeness! (And I don't know Japanese so I have to wait for the English ver. mangas, too :()**

** Anyways (I say this a lot…) I saw that many people ship MaiKo (as in Zuko and Mai) but I ship JinKo (Zuko and Jin)… Is that a crack pairing? **

** Anyways (there it is again) I thought about their, um, 'broken' date at the Firelight Fountain and I decided to write this.**

** Oh, and not all the dialog is correct because I just thought of this and I can't re-watch the episode. **

Zuko's POV

"Uncle, we have to leave. Someone's on our trail," I told Uncle Iroh bluntly, setting some tea cups on the counter.

"We do?" Unclie Iroh stroked his beard.

"Yes," I said impatiently. Sometimes Uncle Iroh was slow. "That girl over there, she keeps looking at us."

"Oh yes! She comes everyday, looks like she's got a giant crush on you!"

"What?" I almost shouted.

"Thanks for the tea," I jumped and turned around. It was the girl. She handed me some coins. "I'm Jin. What's your name?"

"Uh, Lee," I mumbled.

"Thanks, Lee. So, do you want to go out sometime?"

I was about to say no, just as my _dear_ Uncle jumped in. "He would _love_ to go out."

Her face lit up. "Great! I'll meet you outside tonight at sunset."

Time Skip: That Night

Jin's POV

I waited around the corner of the shop until I heard him step out. I giggled at the sight of Lee. "Hey, you look cute," I said, ruffling his hair.

"Hey! My Uncle spent ten minutes doing my hair!"

I giggled and grabbed his arm. "C'mon!"

I dragged Lee to one of my favorite food stalls and ordered a ton of food. I was _super_ hungry.

"Excuse me, Sir, would you and your girlfriend like some dessert?" One of the waiters asked.

Lee slammed his fist on the table. "She's _not_ my girlfriend!" He screamed.

I slurped some noodles. I think I can change _that_.

Zuko's POV

I looked back at Jin, a bit… ashamed? Guilty? Why had I been that blunt? She shoveled some noodles in her mouth, eyes wide and smiling. "Uh, you have a big appetite for a girl," I said. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Why did I say that?

"Uh, thanks?" She asked. I could see she wasn't sure if I was complimenting her.

"So, Lee. Where are you from?" She put down her bowl.

My back-story had been worked out by me and my Uncle already, but when I looked at her olive-colored eyes I wanted to tell her the truth. Which was totally stupid. And, anyways, I had a girl waiting for me back at the Fire Nation. Mai. I pictured her face: Cold, sharp eyes; flawless, pale complexion; perfect hair. Then I found myself comparing her to Jin. And, overall, my brain found that Jin was the winner. I barely knew her. "Um, we just moved here. My Uncle and I traveled a lot before." That was true, at least.

"Why did you travel so much?"

"Um, we were… part of a traveling circus." I was running out of excuses. I had strayed from our original story.

"Ooh! What did you do?" Jin asked, her eyes twinkling. "Wait, no. Let me guess. Juggling?"

"Yeah, that's right," I said uncertainly. "I juggled."

"That's so cool!" She shoved a bunch of objects into my arms. "Teach me, will you?"

I was about to say 'no.' I didn't know how to juggle, after all. But then I made the mistake of looking at her face. Her eyes were wide and hopeful and her hands were clasped together.

"Fine," I mumbled. I tossed the objects into the air, and looked up. All the clowns that Azula and I watched in the Fire Nation seemed to think it was pretty easy.

One by one, the items fell on me, bouncing or breaking. I ended up covered in sauce. "I, uh, haven't practiced in a while."

Jin giggled. "That's OK. Come on! I want to show you this place."

Jin's POV

Lee paid for our food, which was sweet. He only worked in a teashop. I pulled him towards my favorite part of the town: The Firelight Fountain. "When the light hits the water it sparkles like it's the most beautiful thing in the world," I told Lee excitedly. "It's right here," I stopped.

Zuko's POV

Jin's face fell. "Oh, it's not lit!"

I looked at her face. Why was she so disappointed? It was just a stupid fountain. We had plenty of these that were way more beautiful (with turtle-ducks) in the Fire Nation. Then I looked at her again, and felt my heart soften. I squeezed my eyes shut. She made me feel so weak. "Close your eyes. And don't peek!" I warned her.

She nodded and closed her eyes and placed her hands over them, smiling. I entered my Fire Stance and aimed at the lanterns, shooting short, thin flames at them.

"OK, you can open your eyes, now."

She removed her hands and her face lit up – not only with happiness but with awe. "Wow! How? – When? – Did you? – "

I just smiled and turned to the fountain. Seconds later, I felt her hand slip through mine. Again, I felt myself comparing her to Mai. Mai's hands were more feminine, slim, slender, soft. Jin's was calloused and warm. And nicer than Mai's again.

She leaned towards me and I panicked. "Here's a coupon. It was my Uncle's idea, since you're such a frequent customer."

"Thanks," she smiled and tiny nose scrunched up. "Now it's my turn to give you something. Close your eyes."

I closed my eyes, and felt her lean towards me, then she gave me a soft kiss and drew back. I kissed her, then pulled away. Turning, I ran. "Wait, what's wrong?" She called.

"It's complicated," I heard myself say, then I turned and ran back to the teashop.

**A/N:**

** Kay, so this was basically what happened in the show, but I added bits and pieces, I guess. Next chapter will be better (I think) promise.**

** So, um, JINKO FTW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I TOTALLY own ATLA. SURE, I do. Are disclaimers needed? Because it's kinda obvious I don't own this. **

**A/N:**

** How did you guys like chapter 1?**

Time Skip: 2 Years Later…

Zuko's POV

I stood outside the tall walls of Ba Sing Se, thinking of the last time I went here. We had to dress as peasants and make cover stories for ourselves. I had to work in a teashop. I thought I had no meaning in life.

"Why so quiet, nephew?"

I turned to face my Uncle. "Uncle, I'd rather you call me Fire Lord Zuko. It's not as… dignified when you say nephew."

He chuckled. "Think you're all high and mighty now that you're Fire Lord, eh? OK, then. Why so quiet, _Fire Lord _Nephew."

I smiled. Uncle never would listen to me. "Nothing," I said. "Just remembering the last time we were here."

"Ah, yes. Speaking of which, I want to see what happened to the Jasmine Dragon."

I rolled my eyes. Of _course_ that was the first thing that came to mind. Tea.

Zuko's POV

"That's outrageous!" Uncle Iroh said. "Look, nepehew." Uncle pointed upwards at the sign that used to say 'The Jasmine Dragon'. Now, it said 'The Chamomile Monster'.

"That's… That's… That's plagiarism!" He cried.

I snorted. "Not really. Let's get some tea."

Uncle Iroh crossed his arms and grumbled as he walked in. As soon as he stepped in and saw that everything was the same, but the tiny blue dragons had been changed to yellow monsters, Uncle couldn't take it and flounced out the door. I rolled my eyes and sat down on a wooden seat.

I looked down at the plastic-covered menu and settled for a Jasmine tea. Something Uncle Iroh had made me before. "I'll have one Jasmine tea, please," I told the waitress. I felt her bow and leave.

Minutes later she set down a jade-green china cup before me. "Thanks," I told her, cupping my hands around the tea. She bowed again, and walked off. Then I felt a sharp tug at my back and hot tea spilled on my hands. A small thud and 'ow,' came from the floor. I looked down and saw that the waitress' long sleeves had caught on one of the silver links around the hems of my sleeves.

"Sorry," I said, reaching down to give her a hand. She looked up and her brows furrowed. Then her eyes widened. There was something very familiar about her face. Where had I seen it before? Big olive-colored eyes. Tiny nose. Scruffy pony tail and messy bangs. Then it hit me. The Firelight Fountain. My first date. Jin.

Jin's POV

I saw the recognition in his eyes and felt a little taken aback. He still remembered me? It wasn't surprising I remembered _him_. Posters of him with Avatar Aang and Lady Katara, Chief Toph and Councilman Sokka had been posted around the whole town.

I thought that I was seeing things at first. Lee? Teashop boy the Fire Lord? Couldn't be. But then everything fell into place. The burn mark on his face. His weird background. How the lanterns were lit at the Firelight Fountain.

"J-Jin!" He stuttered.

I bit my lip and closed my eyes. Then I ran out of the teashop. "Wait! Jin!" I heard him call. I didn't reply. He lied to me. Sure, I would've probably hated him if he told me that he was the Fire Lord, but he should have trusted me.

Zuko's POV

I ran after Jin, memories of our date running through my mind. A loud street parade suddenly cut through, and I had to stop. When the parade has passed Jin was nowhere in sight.

I closed my eyes. Jin's face was burned into my mind. Her smile and the her look of disappointment as she had run out of the teashop. I sighed. I wish it was like our first date again. Suddenly I knew where she was.

Jin's POV

I sat on the edge of the Firelight Fountain, dangling my feet in the cold, clear water.

I hated Lee – Zuko. He tricked me! I closed my eyes, my lips pursed and imagined his face. I had heard stories of the Fire Nation's Prince hunting down the Avatar, burning down villages, breaking families apart. I imagined Zuko in Fire Nation, longer hair (as most of the Fire Nation people had long hair), and an evil look. But it didn't work. I kept imagining him as Lee.

I suddenly smiled. _'It's complicated,'_ he had said. "I guess it really _was_ complicated," I said aloud.

"It was," A voice behind me said. I'd know that voice anywhere. Lee – Zuko, I mean.

I stood up, pulling my feet out of the fountain. "Wait, Jin, before you run, I want to explain everything."

"Explain?" I laughed. "There's nothing to _explain._ You lied to me. And you left me there with nothing on our first date!"

"Wait, that's what you're angry about?"

"Yes!" I cried. "I was, like, fifteen! You know how embarrassed I felt? I thought you _hated_ me!"

"No!" He grabbed my shoulders. "It's the opposite. I didn't want _you_ to hate _me_."

"I don't think I would've hated you if you told the truth," I mumbled.

Zuko shook his head. "Let's go back to the teashop."

Time Skip: The Next Afternoon

Jin's POV

I was angrier at Zuko more than ever. Yesterday, he walked me back to the teashop, _left me there_, and _walked away_. Grrr…

The wind chimes attached to the door rang as someone stepped into the shop. _He_ walked up to the counter. "Hey, I'm Zuko. What's your name?"

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, but played along. "Jin."

"That's cute. So, do you want to go out sometime, Jin?" His eyes were hopeful, and I knew exactly what he was doing.

"I would _love_ to go," I could feel the corners of my mouth twitch.

"Great! I'll meet you outside the shop at sundown."

Time Skip: After the Replay of their First Date

Zuko's POV

"Aww, they're not lit!" Jin's face crumpled, but a smile was visible in her eyes. I rolled my eyes. "Let your eyes stay open this time, kay?" she nodded and I entered my Fire Bending stance.

It was weird how alike everything was today. But it was the funnest thing I ever did.

We sat on the floor, looking at the lanterns and at the fountain. Jin put her head on my shoulder and I put my head on her head. This had to be the best day ever.

**A/N:**

**I've changed this chapter a lot and I think it's a lot better now :) Thank you, Shade40!**


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